proud

Pride, in its authentic sense, is associated with feelings of accomplishment, self-worth, and confidence. It typically arises from genuine achievements or personal growth.

*Hubris – or hubristic pride –  is aform of pride characterised by arrogance and a sense of superiority. It often involves an inflated self-view and can lead to negative social behaviours, such as limited empathy and narcissism.  Sometimes, we could refer to this type of pride as “being a show-off”. 

When children feel  proud,  it can enhance their self-esteem and reinforce a positive self-concept.  It also plays a role in motivating individuals to pursue further goals. In the development of pride, we see that 5 year olds tend to mask pride more than 3 year olds. This is because 5 year olds understand the social element of pride and may reduce its display so that others do not feel inept. 

Different cultures also have varying attitudes towards pride and will display or hide it to different degrees. In some cultures, pride is seen as a sign of well-deserved success and self-worth, while in others, it may be viewed as a form of arrogance. These cultural norms shape how pride is expressed and also how it is perceived. For example, in collectivist cultures*, an individual feeling proud may be seen as inappropriate  and may be displayed less openly. 

(Collectivist cultures prioritize the needs and goals of the group over individual desires and achievements. In these cultures, the well-being of the community, family, or group is considered more important than personal success.  Many South and East Asian cultures, African cultures, South American cultures and Australian Aboriginal cultures are collectivist.)

How to explain PROUD to children

 “Being proud is when you feel happy about something that you have done. For example,  you might make something or do something that is a bit tricky to do.  When you finally do it, you might feel proud. You might think inside “I did a good job!” or “I finally did it – yippee!”  You might even want to show someone or tell someone. You might say “Look at what I did!” or “Guess what I did!” 

Being proud is usually a nice feeling. It is  like a happy reward for something you have done. 

Often when you are proud of something, others might say “Well done!” 

Sometimes, a child might get so proud that they start to show off. If this happens, other children might think that they are “bragging” or “being a show off” and they might not think it’s a nice way to be.” 

Time to imagine

  Here, Coco is feeling proud. Why do you think Coco might be feeling proud?  

Language to explore

 *Show off       

For older children:   *Boast       *Brag        *Pride vs proud    

 *Tall poppy syndrome    *Humble    

Discuss:  What would be the opposite of feeling PROUD?  (Shame?  Humble?) 

Relate it to the child

Think of a time when you have felt proud. What were you proud of? 

This week

 Take a look at this Youtube clip The Little Engine That Could.    This is an old folk-tale that tells a story about trying.  You will notice lots of feelings throughout the clip.  See if you can pick up when the little engine seems proud. How do you know they are proud? What would you say to the little engine at the end of the story?